August 2010 visit

David picked me up from Dinard airport at 10:20pm and we arrived at Bel-Air in good time for me to get to bed at midnight.

I'm here until the 12th September and the first job will be to work on the landing as Bev arrives next week with Katy, Amy and Eileen and she will be disappointed not to see progress.

It turned out to be quite a visit. The main job was to build a store but the weather and planning permission were very slow in coming forward. Both were a struggle. To complicate matters, Bev had kidney stone problems and ended up in hospital in Ploermel.

Our new neighbours were still at Bel-Air as they waited to complete on the sale of Joel's house and land. It was an ideal time to address issues regarding our building project and attempts to purchase a part of their property.

Everything turned out fine although the option to purchase a part of their property was firmly but politely rejected. Trying to communicate and resolve issues took quite a lot of time as their attentions were really set on the sale and accommodating visiting friends. His wife also became ill and it looked like his daughter had broken her leg during their visit.

They are a very nice family and I'm looking forward to improving my French so that I can communicate better next time I see them.

The landing seat project from start to finish...

We've already jet-washed the stone and fitted a few feature pieces into the concrete blocks. Eileen thought it a good idea to create a seating area so I've knocked it about a bit to catch the vision.

We needed a window to look out of from this proposed seating area.

That's better. Stone is now pointed and blocks rendered, beams sanded and stained, walls boarded and filled, floor brushed clean...

Starting to take shape and feel clean...

Mmm! We need to build it up a bit to accommodate tops...

That's better...seat in place too.

Getting excited now...

This is what we did this time round...
Looks complicated, but...

I THINK I know what I'm doing...extra window bits to be glued and clamped before pushing into position...

Plasterboard screwed onto the wooden back supports and edging clamped...

More clamping

Pipe covers shaped...

Plasterboard rounded, filled, sanded and painted...

and stained...well done Bev.

Using the chain saw to shape the old timber...

The old timber in place and the end section finished (by the vase). The skirting is also in place although not fixed yet.

We love it! Eileen was right about the seat. We just need to varnish, add cushions and a blind to finish the job.

The store project...a continuation from the last post...
More hardcore and footings in place...

Almost ready for the concrete base...

Protecting the base from the rain using counterbalances...

David getting on with rendering the breakfast room and doing a good job...

And Helen...

Ready to build...

Bev, Eileen, Katy and Amy arrive...

The third dormer, breakfast room and pointing all done and looking good...

Cornerstone...

I badly sprained my ankle and am really happy that the pain has subsided enough for me to carry on working...

Roofing timbers and velux...soaked!

Ready for the roofing felt...see how the grass is growing...seeded 10 days previously...

David fabricating the guttering end and down-pipe...

A mouse for the mix? Just look at my battered leg...

Door almost fabricated...

The door was fitted and stained. The tiling almost done (just a small corner to do). The edging tiles are to be done and the painting of course. It's a shame we didn't get it all finished but we are looking forward to the next stage.

Other jobs completed...
Woodworm treatment for the fireplace canopy tops.
Woodworm treatment for above the front window.
Levelling of living room window ledge.
Fitting roman blinds onto the patio doors.
Windows sanded and re-stained for winter protection.


As for David...too many jobs to list.


Back to finish the job in November.

July 2010 visit

I returned home very tired last Sunday (25th July).
Work completed...

• Chopping out the hard concrete and stubborn bits in the stonework joints at the rear of the property.
• Moved a whole load of stone.
• Jet-washing the stonework again as well as the rest at the rear of the property.
• Pointing the stonework.
• Digging a whole lot more out the patio area.
• Smashing and removing the concrete troughs along the length of the building
• Raking the patio area level.
• Digging out the base for the outbuilding.
• Hardcore into the base ready for building.
• Stained glass fitted in the bathroom.
• Landing top cut to size and fitted ready for the next visit.
• Grass-cutting
• Cleaning the chippings.

David concentrated on building his dormer and seating area on the inside of it...as well as the grounds. A lot of hard work.

The long hard work of pointing...

You wouldn't believe how much soil was dug out of this area...

and concrete...which was hidden under the soil.

Temporary chippings until we decide on the type of slabs and have saved up our pennies. I had to figure out a way of cleaning them, First came the bucket with the holes in (hoping the dirt would flush through and then the wire mesh which would allow the dirt to drop through. Neither of them worked; I resorted to throwing the lot into a concrete mixer and flushing with water...it worked!

Just the facing to do...

Before (actually, the bramble was about 5' tall) after we cleared the area.

As it is at the moment with the third dormer. We'll render the corner kitchen area and feature just a few of the stones.

The landing...the top will end up about 2'' thick with the plasterboard shaping down to meet it. It'll look great when it's finished (it's the very next job when I go back on August 19th...a week before Bev joins me.)

                         

A picture of our quirky kitchen stairs made from whatever was lying around...

                         

                                    

We worked from before 8:00am until about 9:00pm every day except Sundays and still managed a walk in the woods and a bike ride every evening.

I hid my little friend here under the book eileen left on the chair as she went indoors for something. Yes, we got a satisfactory scream on her return.

                        

David is still out there beavering away and I'm her in the UK trying to answer the questions from the Mairie regarding planning permission for the outbuildings. (I should really be painting.)

Biggest regret of the visit...allowing the bad weather and tiredness to prevent me from attending the Bastille Day celebrations in Josselin.

Oh, our new neighbours are living in Paris and will live here permanently in two years. They arrived just after I left, but David says they are very friendly.

They are possibly in their 40's. He is originally from Auray and is a chef. She has a fashion boutique (presumably in Paris). They intend to be heavily involved with rearing horses...I think.

I guess time will answer all the questions. For now, I can't tell you what a relief it is to have friendly people next to us.

I'm not sure how they would view their new neighbours.

Our visit in June...it's all about the back of the house

For once, we had time to check Portsmouth out before catching the ferry.

London Illustrated News now on the wall and me with a black plastic bag over my head ready for jet-washing the stonework at the back.

Raking the joints ready for jet-washing. Also defining the patio shape.

Bev pushing it. Stonework being cleaned to the left. The right still to do. We aren't sure what to do with the previous owners bodged attempts at pointing (the little bright corner bit).

I fully support the French siesta.

A walk down the lane with the family.

Juli learning how to relax

The new breakfast table

Taking a break from cleaning the stone...digging the soak-away

It's hard work...

David entertaining the kids...the next train leaves in ten minutes...

Unless you prefer just two wheels.

Chris helping me connect to the soak-away.

Soap, water, plastic and sunshine...perfect!

Breakfast marching band

Hardcore filled, connected and capped...only the soil and seed to go.

 

A visit to the French Resistance museum

And Auray. Where's Danny?

Not to forget the cyclists...they're really serious about this.

It was an all work, all play and all relax couple of weeks.

Very tiring but very special.

Special thanks to Martin & Collete for their help with submitting plans to the Mairie.

(See previous post regarding work completed.)

Flash Forward

I was disappointed with the TV programme Flash Forward but I like the title.

I've decided to Flash Forward to 2010 and our visit to Bel-Air last week. Incidentally, Bel-Air is not a name we gave to the place...it's on all the road signs even though there are only two houses.

The other house is for sale after the death of Joel. His brother had planned to renovate the place but decided against it  given the circumstances of his brother's death. We've seriously considered buying it but it will mean selling up here in England straight away. MIL will not consider coming with us therefore we are resigned to having new neighbours in France at some point.

As soon as I organise the photographs, I'll post details of what work we carried out this time round.

Here is a brief outline...
1. Rake, Jet-wash and backfill the stonework at the back of the property ready for pointing in July.
2. Dig a soak-away with pipework leading to it.
3. Level the worst of the undulating  (moles) grass area.
4. Dig out the patio area.
5. Define the shape of the patio with retaining stone.
6. Submit plans to the Mairie for storage areas.
7. Buy materials ready for the July visit.
8. Put something on the walls to personalise the place.

2004 visit

Jon drove us to Stanstead @ 4:45 am on Sunday 29th August 2004 and we jumped on the flight to Dinard where David was waiting to pick us up.

On the way to Bel-Air we stopped off at some Australian friends of David & Eileen who gave us a grand tour of the place they are renovating in Josselin.

It was great to see Bel-Air even though we haven't any electricity and are sleeping in a tent. David made dinner and we sat in the garden to eat just as Gary arrived. In the evening we sat in front of an open fire and candlelight.

In terms of work, not a lot was recorded other than...repairing the ascot flu, the sides of the big dormer and the bedroom studding. In reality, I wouldn't have stopped.

David & Eileen's living room  as it was in 2004 after putting beams in, and later...

Uncovering a hidden window...we replaced the rotting timber lintel above the window with a slab of stone we found in the garden.

as it is now...

The big dormer at the back...before

During (after we raised the kitchen windows and David's re-tiling.)

I don't seem to have a photo of us finishing it (the same week). I build a smaller dormer over to the left above the doors and this year (2010) there will be another smaller one.

Studding the bathroom ...the ancient ascot soon to be installed for temporary hot water linked to a gas bottle. The bath, toilet and sink are also temporary. In fact, there is a rather nice finished bathroom fully functional right now.

Almost finished in these shots...

This was the year that we discovered the joys of star gazing and looking out for shooting stars.

We left to go home at 4:20 am  on Friday 10th September and only just got to Caen in time (8:15) for a calm crossing to Portsmouth.

As was and as is.

David nicking some of my mix as he works on the stonework outside. We worked hard on this as we raced against time to protect it from the elements. Luckily it didn't rain. It was so hot in fact, that David stayed the entire summer to slate the roof. It did rain eventually (and when it rains, it really rains) but not often and not for long. It was a job well done.

As it is now...still unfinished...until May 2010.

Welcome to Keith Eckstein who lives just 15 minutes from us. I've been reading his blog for some time now which gives quite an insight into the area and what it has to offer. Actually, he has several blogs worth the visit.